Tractor wheel



April 25, 1939. K. HELGESON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1" Filed March 11, 1938 v Inventor 47 mm? KZ M'M Attorneys 1 I ZlIlIM/IIA April 25, 1939. K. HELGESON .TRACTOR WHEEL Fild March 11, 1938 2 Shee ts-Sh tg' V A Patented Apr. 1939 2 moron WHEEL;

Kennel] Helgeson, Mountxl loreb, Application March "11 1938, Serial No. 195,369

' 4- Claims, (01. 301-41) My invention relates generally to traction wheelunits for tractors and the like'vehicles, and

particularly to. a traction unit combining pneumatic tire and expansible ground engaging elements of substantially rigid character, and an important object of 'myinvention is to provide an eillcient and practical combination ofthese agencies to enable a tractor to be efliciently operated and driven over all types of terrain under different conditions of load'and surface and provide a maximum of constant traction.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following de-" scription taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:--

Figure 1 is an outboard elevational view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 22 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2 approximately on the line 3--3 and looking toward the right in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional vview taken through Figure 2 approximately 0n the line 44 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the operating gear including the operating lever.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 2 thereofl the numeral 5 generally designates the powered axle of the tractor or the like vehicle, the numeral 6 generally designates a wheel having a hub 1 keyed as indicated by the numeral .8 on the axle 5 and including a pneumatic tire carrying rim 9 having the pneumatic tire l0 thereon, the rim being supported by a spider composed of the'arms H bolted as indicated by the numeral H to the rim 9 and having ears I3 bolted as indicated by the numeral H to the expansible traction element which is generally designated l2. The wheel 6 may be a conventional wheel on the tractor and be attached as indicated to the traction element I2, or the wheel 6 may be a special wheel which will be assembled with the traction element I2 and the two, as a unit, utilized as a replacement for the conventional tractor wheel.

The traction element or unit l2 comprises the annular housing I3 which has arcuate reduced portions I4 at its periphery defining lugs IS a stop.

' which have openings l6 therein to slidably accommodate the smooth portions" ('see'Fig, 3) of the individual traction arms H. As shown also in Figure 3 of the drawings the'boresor openings 16 are radially arranged and equally .circum- 5 ferentially spaced and terminate at'their inner ends adjacent the opening which receivesthe tractor axle 5 and oneside of these arms-is provided with teeth in the nature of a rack 2| and these are each in mesh with the teeth of a pinion l0 -22 which ismounted-on a stub axle 23 having one end or trunnion journaledin the opening 24 x (Fig. 1) in the block or housing 13 and having its opposite end or trunnion 25 journaledIin the cover plate 25 which is fastened by:1means of .1 bolts 21 to the open side'of the housing [3 to confine the pinions 22 and "the arms l'l operatively in place within the housing Iii; The radially outward ends of the arms I! are widened in a plane parallel to the axis of the unit in a 20 triangular shape having curved sides providing the traction head 26 illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the said head having the generally right triangular cross section illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, with the hypotenuse 26 side thereof adjacent the pinions 22.

Nested in an accommodating opening 21" in the housing or block I3 is a driving gear which is generally designated 28 (Fig. 5) and which has v an opening 29 (Fig. 5) rotatably receiving the axle 5 and provided with a radially projecting operating lever 30 which has a spring attaching opening 3| at its radially outward end. The arm is ofiset as indicated by the numeral 32 and passes through an accommodating arcuate slot 35 33 in the cover plate 26. When the lever or arm 30 is swung toward the left in Figure 1 of the drawings to'the opposite end of the slot 33 from the position in which it is shown, the efiect is to rotate the operating gear 28, thereby turning 40 the respective pinions 22 and thereby feeding the arms or rods II in a radially outward direction for engagement with the ground. g

A helical spring 34 has one end attached to. the opening equipped end of the arm 30 and has 45 an'eye 35 at its opposite end forengagement with 8. lug 36 on the cover plate whereby the arm is held in the inoperative position shown in- Figure l of the drawings. In the operative position of the-arm at the opposite end of the slot 33 the eye 35 is attached to thelug 36 whereby the arm and hence the rods or arms ll are .held in the radially outwardly projected positions. The spring 34 acts as a shock absorber. The lug 38 is Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it'ls to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application 01' the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of theparts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention what. is

claimed-as n'ew-isr a a 1. A traction unit for a. tractor or the like having an-axle,-' said 'unit comprising a tire-rimeq'uip'ped wheel-keyed to said axle and including I a pneumatic: tire on the rim, said wheel including aspider, a block attached to said spider at one side of said wheel and concentric therewith,'said block containing radial openings,. traction rods" ing-an axle, said unit comprising a tire-rimequipped wheel keyed to said axle and including a pneumatic tire on the rim, said wheel including a spider, a block attachedv to said spider at one side of said wheel and concentric therewith, said block containing radial openings, traction rods;

disposed slidably in said openings, each rod hav:

ing a rack portion, an individual pinion rotatably mounted in said block and meshed with the rack of the corresponding rod, and a driving gear rotatably mounted on said block and, meshed with all of said pinions, and means for rotatably positioning said gear for effecting a retracted or a projected position of said rods, and shock absorbing means extending between the last-mentioned means and a part of the block for holding the gear in a predetermined position.

3. A traction unit for a tractor having an axle, said unit comprising a pneumatic-tire-equipped wheel keyed on said axle, said wheel including a spider,'a traction element mounted on said axle and attached to said spider, saidelement comprising a block including radial circumferentially spaced passages, an extensible and retractible rigid arm slidably contained in each passage, and means for simultaneously retracting or projecting said arms, said'means comprising individual pinions, a gear meshed with all of said pinions, and individual racks on the arms in mesh with the pinions.

4. A traction unit for a tractor having an axle, said unit comprising a pneumatic-tire-equipped wheel keyed on said axle, said wheel including a a spider, a traction'element mounted on said axle and attached to said spider, said element 'comprising a block including radial circumferentially spaced passages, extensible and retractible rigid arms slidably contained said passages, and means for simultaneouslyretracting or projecting said arms, said means comprising individual pinions, a gear meshed with all of saidpinions, and indi-' vidual racks on the arms in mesh with the pinions, and yieldable means connected between apart of said block and a part of said gear, for yieldabiy. holding the gear in arm projecting or retracting,

positions. l n

KENNELL HELGESON. 

